Cases

ABSTRACT

A case comprising a body to which is hinged a lid. The body and the lid are connected by a spring strip having a V portion one leg of which is attached to the lid while the other leg has a curved extension attached to the base of the body. The extension, in the closed position of the case, lies generally flat against the base and in the open position projects away from the base in order to raise an object contained in the case.

United States Patent I191 Parisot CASES Inventor: Michel Parisot, Colombes, France Assignee: Societe Franco-Hispano-Americaine (Francispam), Saint Gratien, France Filed: May 11, 1972 Appl. No.: 252,469

US. Cl. 206/45.l3, 206/DIG. 32 Int. Cl B65d 25/02 Field of Search 206/45.l3, 44.12,

206/77.l, DIG. 32

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS "47,430 4/1865 Kolb ..206/45.l3 1,666,001 4/1968 Catala ..206/45.13

Primary ExaminerLeonard Summer Attorney-Arthur V. Smith [5 7] ABSTRACT A case comprising a body to which is hinged a lid. The body and the lid are connected by a spring strip having a V portion one leg of which is attached to the lid while the other leg has a curved extension attached to the base of the body. The extension, in the closed position of the case, lies generally flat against the base and in the open position projects away from the base in order to raise an object contained in the case.

7 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures III/II III] III/Ill ll CASES The present invention relates to a case whose lid tends to open automatically and which enables the object it contains to rise away from the base, enabling it to be more readily picked up and, in particular when the open case is exhibited in a show window, providing a more attractive presentation.

French Pats. Nos. 660.427 and 1.185.136 as well as U. S. Pat. No. 2,708.508, disclose a display case or similar container, comprising a body and a lid connected by a hinge, and a moving support for the object on display, which support, by elastic means, is made to rise automatically at the same time as the lid, enabling the object to be more readily picked up. The pivoting of the support or the lid, has a limited amplitude.

U. S. Pat. No. 2,860.767 describes a display case comprising a mobile base and a lid connected by a pivot, with a V-spring one end of which is attached to the lid and the other end of which only in the open position is located beneath the mobile base and maintains it in an inclined attitude.

The invention relates to an improved case of the kind constituted by a body to one edge of which there is articulated a lid, and comprising an element for locking the lid in the closed position, a mobile support upon which the object placed in the case rests, and an elastic device maintained under tension when the lid is closed and which, when the lid is unlocked, opens same and raises the mobile support in order to enable the object carried by the latter to be more easily picked up, said elastic device essentially comprising a V-shaped spring one end of which is attached to the lid andthe other end, in the open position is located beneath the mobile support and'maintains the latter in the inclined position, characterized in that the apex of the V is disposed towards the base of the body and is located in the neighbourhood of that edge of the base at which the lid is hinged, one of the legs of said V being attached to the lid in the neighbourhood of that edge thereof which is hinged to the body, whilst the other leg has a curved extension the concave side of which is disposed towards the base of the body, the free end of the extension being attached to the body in the neighbourhood of that edge of the base which is opposite to the one to which the lid is hinged, so that when the lid is unlocked, the curved extension projects above the surface of the base of the body whilst in the closed position of the case said curved extension is substantially applied against said base.

In accordance with another feature of the invention, the curved extension comprises, at an intermediate point of its length, at least one lug folded so that is extends at the side opposite to the concavity of the spring.

Because of this feature, the object to be displayed and contained-in the .case, can be lifted even higher when thelid is open.

In accordance with a particular feature of the invention, the case is of the kind in which the body comprises, substantially in the plane of its opening, an upper wall containing a location in which there is attached the mobile support designed to carry the object to be displayed, and is characterized in that a free space is formed between said upper wall and that lateral wall of the body to which the lid is hinged, in order to enable the spring leg attached to said lid to pass, the curved extension, in the open position of the case, being designed to pass through the location and lift the mobile support; and in that that part of the upper wall located between one of the edges of the said location, and the free space, acts as a stop against which the V of the spring bears when the case is opened, in order to limit the pivoting motion of the lid.

The invention will now be described in more detail making reference to a particular embodiment, given purely by way of example and illustrated in the attached drawings.

In these drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an improved case in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a section in a vertical plane passing through the longitudinal axis of the case shown in FIG. 1, the latter being in the open position;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to that of FIG. 2, this time with the case closed.

The case illustrated comprises a body 1 formed by four lateral walls 2 to 5, and a base 6.

To the internal lateral surface of the wall 3 there is attached a lock 7 constituted by an elastic strip with a tooth 10 at its free end, the strip being fixed to a stud 9 passing through a smooth hole in the wall 3.

Substantially in the plane of the opening of the body 1, there extends a wall 11 in which there is formed a rectangular opening 12; this wall is covered with a fabric 13 which is not stretched over the opening 12, thus forming a location 14 designed to receive an object for presentation, for example a lighter 15.

To the lateral wall 5, there is attached one of the plates of a hinge 17 the other plate of which is fixed to the external surface of a lateral wall 18 belonging to a lid 19 which has two longitudinal lateral walls 20 and 21, a top 22 and a fourth lateral wall 23 whose internal surface, in the neighbourhood of its free edge, exhibits a notch 24 designed to co-operate with the tooth l0 and lock the lid in the closed position.

The case is provided with a spring strip 25 of substantially V-shaped profile, one leg 26 of which passes through a space 27 formed between one of the edges of the wall 11 and the lateral wall 5, and the free end 30 of which is bent outwards and locates in a slot 29 in the wall 18, being fixed there by a pin 28.

The other leg of the spring strip '25 has a curved extension 31 the concavity of which is disposed towards the base 6 and the free end of which is attached to said base by a wedge 32 in the neighbourhood of the lateral wall 3.

At an intermediate point in its length, the extension 31 has fixed to it two lugs 33 directed towards the side opposite to that at which the base 6 is located.

As FIG. 3 shows, in the closed position of the case, the spring strip 25 distorts elastically and tends to flatten against the base 6 and the walls 5 and 18. When the stud 9 is pressed, the lock 7 opens and the tooth 10 moves out of the notch 24; the spring strip 25, which tends to return to its initial position, causes the lid to open automatically at the same time that the extension 31 passes through the opening 12 and lifts the fabric 13 which stretches in said opening, the lugs 33 bearing against the lighter l5 and pivoting it.

Thus, when the case is open, the lighter is caused to pivot upwards and this enables it to be more readily gripped by the fingers in order to remove it from the case.

This kind of case, moreover, provides more attractive presentation of the object.

It will be observed that the spring strip is completely concealed from view and that in particular a fabric band is provided which hides the leg 26 and the end 30.

As FIG. 2 shows, the V portion of the spring strip 25 in the open position of the case, comes up against that part of the wall 11 which is located between the opening 12 and the space 27, so that said part constitutes a stop-to limit the angular motion of the lid 19.

Self-evidently, the invention is not limited to the embodiment described and illustrated here, but can undergo numerous detail modifications.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by letters patent of the United States is:

1. An article display box comprising, a base having a bottom wall and a peripheral side wall defining an open top above said bottom wall, a lid pivotally connected to said side walls for movement between first and second positions to selectively cover and expose said open top and having a generally complementary configuration with respect to said bottom wall, and means operatively connected between said base and said lid for raising an article in said base in response to movement of said lid from its first to its second position, from a first position within said base to a second position wherein a substantial portion of said article is located above said top, said means including a generally V-shaped spring having a first leg operatively connected to said lid and a second leg operatively connected to said bottom wall, said V- shaped spring having an apex formed between said first and second legs and located adjacent the point of juncture of said bottom wall and said peripheral wall and adjacent the pivotal connection between said base and said lid, said second leg including a curved extension between said apex and the point of connection of said second leg with said bottom wall, said curved extension defining a relatively flat concave curve opening towards said bottom wall and located adjacent said bottom wall when said lid is closed, whereby when said lid is moved from its first to its second position, said curved extension increases its curvature to raise a central portion of said second leg above said top, thereby to raise an article in said base to its second position above said top.

2. An article display box as defined in claim 1 including means for releasably locking said lid in said second position.

3. An article display box as defined in claim 2 including a flexible article support element mounted in said base above said bottom wall and said second leg of said spring, for supporting an article in said box in said first and second positions.

4. An article display box as defined in claim 3 wherein said peripheral wall defines at least one pair of opposed side walls, said lid being pivotally connected to said peripheral wall along one of said side walls and said second leg of said spring being connected to said bottom wall adjacent the other of said opposed side walls.

5. An article display box as defined in claim 4 wherein said second leg of said spring includes at least one protuberant lug extending from a central portion thereof in a direction opposite to said bottom wall.

6. An article display box as defined in claim 5 including an upper wall mounted in said base above said bottom wall and said second leg of said spring, said upper wall being located below said flexible support member and having an opening therein in which an article is supported by said flexible support member in said first position and through which said central portion of said second leg extends when said lid is moved to its second position to support an article in said box in its second position.

7. An article display case as defined in claim 6 wherein said upper wall includes a first edge portion located in spaced relation to said one side wall to define a space therebetween through which said first leg of said spring extends for connection with said lid, said upper wall, between said opening and said first edge thereof defining a stop for said second leg of said spring to limit movement thereof and limit pivotal movement of said lid.

UNlTEllSTATES iiATENT OFFICE Y CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent: No. 3.765.528 Dated October 16. m7?

Invent Michel ParisoL It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

In the heading add after item "[21] insert the following:

[30] Foreigh Application Priority Date I June 21, 1971 France 71 22 21 Signed and sealed this 23rd day of April 197L|..

(SEAL) Attes t: I

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. C MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents FORM PC4050 no'ss) uscoMM-Dc scan-Pea U-S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE I I," -S-33l, 

1. An article display box comprising, a base having a bottom wall and a peripheral side wall defining an open top above said bottom wall, a lid pivotally connected to said side walls for movement between first and second positions to selectively cover and expose said open top and having a generally complementary configuration with respect to said bottom wall, and means operatively connected between said base and said lid for raising an article in said base in response to movement of said lid from its first to its second position, from a first position within said base to a second position wherein a substantial portion of said article is located above said top, said means including a generally V-shaped spring having a first leg operatively connected to said lid and a second leg operatively connected to said bottom wall, said V-shaped spring having an apex formed between said first and second legs and located adjacent the point of juncture of said bottom wall and said peripheral wall and adjacent the pivotal connection between said base and said lid, said second leg including a curved extension between said apex and the point of connection of said second leg with said bottom wall, said curved extension defining a relatively flat concave curve opening towards said bottom wall and located adjacent said bottom wall when said lid is closed, whereby when said lid is moved from its first to its second position, said curved extension increases its curvature to raise a central portion of said second leg above said top, thereby to raise an article in said base to its second position above said top.
 2. An article display box as defined in claim 1 including means for releasably locking said lid in said second position.
 3. An article display box as defined in claim 2 including a flexible article support element mounted in said base above said bottom wall and said second leg of said spring, for supporting an article in said box in said first and second positions.
 4. An article display box as defined in claim 3 wherein said peripheral wall defines at least one pair of opposed side walls, said lid being pivotally connected to said peripheral wall along one of said side walls and said second leg of said spring being connected to said bottom wall adjacent the other of said opposed side walls.
 5. An article display box as defined in claim 4 wherein said second leg of said spring includes at least one protuberant lug extending from a central portion thereof in a direction opposite to said bottom wall.
 6. An article display box as defined in claim 5 including an upper wall mounted in said base above said bottom wall and said second leg of said spring, said upper wall being located below said flexible support member and having an opening therein in which an article is supported by said flexible support member in said first position and through which said central portion of said second leg extends when said lid is moved to its second position to support an article in said box in its second position.
 7. An article display case as defined in claim 6 wherein said upper wall includes a first edge portion located in spaced relation to said one side wall to define a space therebetween through which said first leg of said spring extends for connection with said lid, said upper wall, between said opening and said first edge thereof defining a stop for said second leg of said spring to limit movement thereof and limit pivotal movement of said lid. 